Candidate Forum Recap

Santa Clara’s Candidates Answer to the Community — Friday, October 9

 

On Friday evening, the MCA Civic Engagement Committee, CAIR-California, the Bay Area Muslim Council (BAMC), the US American Muslim Public Affairs Committee (USAMPAC), and CAIR-ACTION co-hosted a candidate forum at Khadija Banquet Hall, drawing about 150 community members for a two-hour conversation with the candidates on Santa Clara’s November 3 ballot.

 

Candidates for Santa Clara mayor (Gary Ferraris, Karen Hardy, Kevin Park, David Kertes, Kathy Watanabe), City Council Districts 2 (Yvonne Inciarte, Kimberley Williams) and 3 (Eric Crutchlow, Kyle Madej), and SCUSD Area 1 (Kamal Yassin) took the stage, answering CAIR’s questions on anti-Muslim hate, immigration, and free speech, followed by audience Q&A. The evening built in breaks for Maghrib and Isha prayers.

 

Many attendees stayed after the program to speak with candidates one-on-one, and voter registration information tables were available throughout the evening. MCA does not endorse candidates; the forum was held to inform voters ahead of Election Day, November 3.